Look out for:
The koala was small and grey, with huge furry ears and curious, bright black eyes. He clung to the front of Great-Uncle Horace’s safari jacket, blinking nervously. Zoe was desperate to cuddle him!
Look out for:
Illustrated by Sophy Williams
With special thanks to Natalie Doherty For Jenna x
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Zoe happily swinging her bag, walking home from school with Nicola and Jack.
Chapter One
Holiday at the Rescue Zoo “I’m so excited that it’s finally half-term!” said Zoe Parker, swinging her school bag happily. “And we get a whole week off school!” It was Friday afternoon and school had just broken up for the half-term holiday. Zoe was walking home with two of her 1
friends from her class, Nicola and Jack. Their parents were walking just behind them, chatting. “I’m excited too!” said Nicola with a smile. “I can’t wait to have some time to play with Rex.” Zoe grinned at her friend – Nicola had a new dog and he was very cute and bouncy! “Yeah, and I’m going to help my dad finish our tree house,” Jack said. “Then you can both come over and play in it!” The three friends laughed as they planned their half-term adventures, but then Zoe remembered their homework. “What are you going to do for your science project?” she asked Nicola and Jack. That morning Zoe’s teacher, Miss 2
Hawkins, had asked everyone in the class to do a special piece of homework over the break. They had to choose something from the natural world to observe carefully, and then write some notes about whatever they had chosen. Miss Hawkins had asked them to take photographs or draw pictures too. Then, after the break, they each had to explain to the class what they had found out. There was even going to be a prize for the best project! “I think I’m going to do mine about frogs. There’s a pond full of frogs and frogspawn at the bottom of my garden,” said Jack. “I might do mine about wildflowers,” said Nicola thoughtfully. “My granny lives near the woods and she knows 3
lots about them. I could ask her to take me for a walk there, and help me take pictures.” “Cool! Those are both really good ideas,” Zoe said. “I bet I know what you’re going to do yours on, Zoe!” replied Jack with a grin. “One of the animals at the Rescue Zoo!” Zoe chuckled. Jack was right! As soon as Miss Hawkins had explained about the project, she had known immediately that she wanted to do hers about an animal. They were her favourite things in the whole world, and she knew more about them than anyone else in her class. The only question was: which animal should she write about? There were hundreds of different creatures at the Rescue Zoo – too many to choose from! 4
“You’re so lucky, Zoe,” sighed Nicola as they turned the corner and the carved wooden gates of the Rescue Zoo appeared in front of them. Zoe smiled at Nicola. She felt lucky. She wasn’t just a visitor at the zoo – she actually lived there! Zoe’s Great-Uncle Horace was a famous explorer and animal expert, and had started the Rescue Zoo so that all the lost, frightened or injured animals he met on his adventures could have a safe and caring home. He was very wise and kind, and Zoe always looked forward to seeing him whenever he came back to visit – especially because he often brought a new animal back to the zoo with him! Zoe’s mum, Lucy, was the zoo vet, and they lived in a pretty little cottage at the 5
edge of the zoo. That meant that Lucy could help any animal that was poorly, day or night – and Zoe got to spend every spare minute she had with the animals. “Maybe you can come to the zoo one day during the holiday,” Zoe suggested to both her friends. “Why don’t you ask your parents? I could show you round all my favourite enclosures! We’ve got the most beautiful young polar bear, called Snowy – she’s adorable. And three snow leopard cubs as well!” “Really? I would love to!” said Nicola, and Jack nodded eagerly. As she spoke, there was a funny little squeak from just beyond the gate, and a tiny face with big, golden eyes peeped around it. “Meep!” said Zoe. “He must 6
have been waiting for me to get home!” Nicola and Jack both laughed as Meep scampered out through the gate and leaped into Zoe’s arms for a cuddle. He was a grey mouse lemur with a long curly tail, and so small that he could perch on Zoe’s shoulder, or fit snugly inside her pocket! He was Zoe’s best friend, and had arrived at the Rescue Zoo when he was a tiny baby. He’d needed lots of special care, so Zoe and Lucy had taken him back to their cottage to look after him – and he’d lived with them there ever since. 7
“He’s so cute!” cooed Nicola. Meep wriggled in Zoe’s arms until his tummy was exposed, and Zoe giggled. “He’d like you to give his tummy a stroke or a tickle,” Zoe told her friends. Nicola and Jack reached out carefully and tickled Meep. The little lemur gave a happy squeal. “I think he’s enjoying that!” laughed Jack. “Yes, I am!” squeaked Meep. “I’m so glad you’re home from school, Zoe. I’ve missed you all day!” Zoe winked at her friend. She knew that Nicola and Jack would only hear funny squeaking sounds from Meep – but she actually understood what he was saying. Living at the Rescue Zoo wasn’t the only amazing thing about Zoe. She had a secret – a big secret! When she was 8
little, she had found out that animals can understand people. And most amazingly of all, Zoe had a special ability to understand animals, too! “Come on, Jack! Time to go home,” Jack’s dad called, waving. Jack nodded. “Coming, Dad.” “See you again soon, Zoe!” said Nicola. “Do you really think we could come and visit the zoo over the holiday?” Jack asked Zoe hopefully. “Definitely!” Zoe promised. “I’ll get my mum to give your parents a ring.” As her friends walked off chatting excitedly, Zoe, Meep and Zoe’s mum walked through the carved wooden gates into the zoo. Zoe could see that it was very busy, and full of visitors. “I’d better stop by the zoo hospital 9
before tea,” Lucy told Zoe. “One of the pelicans has a poorly wing, and I want to give him a check-up. There’s a snack for you on the kitchen table – and one for Meep, because I know he always tries to share yours!” Zoe grinned. Meep was tiny but he had a big appetite!
Inside the busy zoo. Lucy talks to Zoe. Meep too.
10
As her mum dashed off down the path, Zoe and Meep headed towards the cottage. “Yum, a special snack all for me!” chattered Meep, rubbing his tummy. “What do you think it will be, Zoe? A banana? Or sunflower seeds? I like those a lot. Or maybe some berries?” “Maybe it’s all three!” suggested Zoe, and giggled at the excited expression on Meep’s face. “Now, listen, Meep. I need your help. I can’t decide what animal to do my science project on! I’ve got too many ideas and I can’t choose one. I could write about the elephants and their long, clever trunks. Or maybe the tigers… Oh, or the leopards, and explain how their patterned coats camouflage them. Or maybe a project about the Rescue Zoo bees, and how they make honey?” 11
“Or you could write all about me,” Meep said helpfully. “I’m a very interesting animal, Zoe. I have a long, curly tail that helps me balance when I climb up trees.” He waggled his tail, tickling Zoe’s nose with it. “And I have big eyes that can see really well in the dark,” he added, widening his eyes at her. Zoe chuckled. “And Goo says I’m one of the smallest primates in the world,” he finished, using the funny nickname he had for GreatUncle Horace, because he found the long name hard to say. Zoe laughed again and stroked the little lemur’s head. “You’re right, Meep.You are very interesting!” she agreed. “But I still don’t think I can do my project on you. Lots of my school friends know about you already, because I talk about you so 12
much! I think I need to pick an animal that’s a bit different.” She sighed. “I wish Great-Uncle Horace was here – he’d help me choose. He’s been away for ages now and I really miss him.” As they reached the cottage door, Meep’s ears suddenly pricked up. “Zoe, what’s that?” he said. Zoe looked round. “I can’t hear anything, Meep.” “It’s a funny thudding sound,” Meep explained. “It’s a bit like when the elephants walk along with their big, heavy feet – but it’s much faster.” Zoe could hear the sound now too – and it was quickly getting louder and louder. She looked up at the sky and saw a small blue shape, getting closer every second. 13
“Zoe, look!” squealed Meep, pointing at the shape with his tiny finger. “Is it a strange kind of bird? It’s very big – and very fast!” Zoe shook her head and smiled. “Meep, I know what it is. It’s not a bird – it’s a helicopter!”
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